Platicity And Functional Recovery Of The Brain

Question 1

What is brain plasticity

Answer 1

Refers to the brain’s ability to modify its own structure and function as a result of experience and new learning

Question 2

What is functional recovery

Answer 2

A form of plasticity. Refers to the recovery of abilities and mental processes that have been compromised as a result of brain injury and disease

Question 3

What is synaptic pruning

Answer 3

With age rarely used synaptic connections in the brain are deleted and frequently used connections strengthened= example of plasticity of brain

Question 4

What are 3 structural changes the brain undergoes to help it recover after trauma

Answer 4

1. Atonal sprouting
2. Reformation of blood vessels
3. Recruitment of homologous (similar) areas on the opposite hemisphere

Question 5

State two examples which show support for neural plasticity

Answer 5

Maguire et al. (2000)- London cabbie drivers
Davidson et al. (2004)- Tibetan monks meditating

Question 6

State an example which shows support for functional recovery after trauma

Answer 6

Patient J.W.

Question 7

How does patient J.W. Show evidence for functional recovery of the brain

Answer 7

He developed the capacity to speak out of the right hemisphere with the result that he can now speak about information present to the left or right brain

Question 8

Describe the study of Maguire et al. (2000)

Answer 8

• cabbie drivers required to learn all city streets and possible routes in London for a test called ‘the knowledge’
• their brains were scanned using MRI
• found cabbie drivers had more grey matter in the posterior hippocampus that control group
• this part of the brain is associated with development of spatial and navigational skills

Question 9

Describe the study of Davidson et al. (2004)

Answer 9

• compared Tibetan monks with student volunteers
• both fitted with electrical sensors during meditation
• greater activation of gamma waves in monks